The Hoax

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Summary:
Hard up for cash, a struggling writer makes an outrageous claim of doing an autobiography by claiming he was approached by the elusive and eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes. With the aide of his researcher Dick Susskind, they dig themselves ever deeper into a pit of deception, all the while getting more attention - and better money - for their efforts.

Review:
Well, you can't say Clifford Irving didn't have a massive pair of balls doing something like that. I wonder how long he believed the fiasco would last. He had to have known right from the start that the truth would be revealed, but perhaps he was right in thinking that the publicity of the entire stunt would pay off for the sacrifice.
The Hoax was a pretty funny movie. Poor Dick Susskind spent almost his entire time doing Cliff's dirty work for him, sweating profusely. It's a wonder the poor dude didn't die of a heart attack over those few months. While Dick was always tense and sure to be hypertensive with his unending rise in blood pressure, Cliff was the exact opposite. He played each naysayer for a fool and a half, constantly living his life of lies and deception with more than a little class. He had a Jack of Clubs as his high card, and should have folded. But, sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand. That's what someone said once. It was some fun times watching Cliff and Dick spend more effort in keeping up the hoax than one would by actually writing a biography for an unusual outcast billionaire.
Hallstrom has a sure hand at directing this picture. The Hoax was nicely paced, with smooth editing. What I dug the least was having the opening scene from a scene in the end. Fuck me, that's real original. Yeah, really. No, ok, it isn't. The above picture for this review was a very funny moment, with Hughe's picture behind Irving framed in such a way gave the impression of Hughe's ever-present omniscience. We never see him, but there he is, like an unseen bacteria, sucking the air from Clifford's lungs and suffocating him. The scene itself portrays this foreboding better than a mere picture of it. It's all about context.
Outside of the troubles of keeping up such an elaborate lie, he also has to deal with marital issues at home. He's been a bad boy, and plucking someone else's feathers in the past. So of course, his wife doesn't trust him. This is an alright subplot, but works well in the movie's favor near the final act, in which her help is needed to assist Irving in the hoax. Outside of Irving and Susskind looking for more news on the man they are writing about along with Irving's infidelity, there isn't much else to the movie. Some Nixon stuff that's kind of thrown in near the end, but it's also a part of their investigation into Hughe's life. So the movie is fairly straightforward and to the point. That's quite alright, because that's all that's needed to hold one's interest. It doesn't demand more than what has been presented. It keeps the movie moving along nicely.

The Hoax is a good movie about a stupid man who took things too far. In some ways, his attempt at holding a lie for so long is admirable and impressive. Richard Gere was great - as usual - with his died brown hairstyle. I recommend The Hoax for the kids. It can teach them that lying will only be a temporary fix to a permanent problem. Eat your heart out, Sesame Street!

GRADE: B+

Reviewed: 5/7/07